Why You Should Know Him
What do Giuffria, House of Lords, and Magdallan have in common? Renowned guitarist Lanny Cordola has been a part of all of them at one point or another in his career.
Before joining these groups, however, Cordola gained momentum and some level of success playing with American Heroes and Mondo Cane during the 1980s, often alternating between them before moving onto Giuffria in 1985, which really elevated his status as a renowned shredder.
Cordola joined Giuffria as a replacement for Craig Goldy and proceeded to make one album with them, Silk and Steel, which spawned the MTV video hit, “I Must Be Dreaming.” He stayed with the band from 1985 to 1987 after which he joined keyboard player Gregg Giuffria’s next band, House of Lords. Their debut album, House of Lords, released in 1988, featured a heavier sound with a low keyboard mix. The album was so highly acclaimed that the band went on to tour with Ozzy Osbourne, Cheap Trick, and The Scorpions.
Even with the success of touring, the album only yielded one hit, “I Wanna’ Be Loved.” Cordola went on to make two more albums with House of Lords including The Power and the Myth and Live in the UK, all while performing and recording with his new Christian super-group, Magdallan. That band’s 1992 debut album, Big Bang, is a prog metal spectacular featuring bassist Brian Bromberg and HOL drummer, Ken Mary. The album was nominated for a GMA Dove Award for best metal/hard rock album.
Cordola subsequently released a few solo releases and collaborations with multiple artists including Ken Tamplin and Uthanda. Some of his solo albums include Electric Warrior, Acoustic Saint, Of Riffs and Symphonies, and Salvation Medicine Show.
The Gear
Cordola has used an Ibanez Destroyer, a Paul Rivera booster, Marshall amps and a Boss delay. When asked about his gear from those classic years, Cordola told MusicPlayers.com, “For House of Lords, I used a BC Rich copy of the Ibanez that they made for me, with Seymour Duncan JB pickups, a TC Electronic delay, Soldano and Marshall amps.”
He went on to tell us, “Electro Harmonix Bad Stone Phase Shifter, an eBow. For the big Giuffria hit single ‘I Must Be Dreaming’ a small Peavey amp—which exact model I don’t recall. It was just a practice amp, but the label demanded a new song that had to be completed on a Sunday evening and my stuff was in storage and all the rental companies were closed.”
Where Is He Now?
Cordola has collaborated with many bands and artists through the years, including the Bulgarian rock group D_2 in 2006 on their third album, 6.
Besides his mastery of music, he also appeared in the hit television show, Full House, as a member of Uncle Jesse's band known as Jesse and the Rippers.
The most spectacular part of Cordola's career has got to be the noble work that he has pursued in the Middle East, and it warrants the lengthy story that follows here courtesy of Cordola:
Since 2010, Lanny has focused on musical projects aimed at raising awareness, resources and funds for some of the most vulnerable children in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In the wake of his work in these regions, Lanny has formed his own non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization called the Miraculous Love Kids, based on the premise that it shouldn't hurt to be a child and that a kid with a melody in their heart has hope, and with hope all things are possible.
On September 8, 2012, sisters Parwana and Korshid were killed by a suicide bomber in Kabul, Afghanistan. During a visit to the region in 2014, Lanny met with the family of Parwana and Korshid and vowed to return to help improve their living conditions.
I had the opportunity to meet the family and offer my deepest sympathies for their unbearable loss, Lanny recalls. Their warmth, beauty and grace were overwhelming. Parwana and Korshid's young siblings Behishta, Faisal, and Mursal showered me with unadulterated affection and were ever so grateful for my visit.
On June 27, 2015, thanks to supporters and American vet Brad Pupello (who was friends with Parwana and Korshid), Lanny moved the family from a two-room slum in the hills of Kabul to a dignified three-bedroom home in a safe part of the city. Behishta, Faisal and Mursal are now going to a private school and learning how to play the guitar.
In February 2016, Lanny moved to Kabul, Afghanistan, where he plays and teaches guitar to children in schools, internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, on the street and in the Miraculous Love Kids Center.
We wish Lanny Cordola the greatest success and safety as he sacrifices his American lifestyle and safety to help less fortunate children embrace the gift of music in a war-torn region.
Find the Miraculous Love Kids at www.themiraculouslovekids.org.
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